Everyone unconsciously turned to look at Shin Keir.
He remained outwardly nonchalant, but his usual glacial indifference and tyrannical pressure were conspicuously absent. The sharp edge that normally kept the room pinned down had dulled just slightly, but enough for seasoned observers to notice.
Cautious inquiries followed almost immediately.
A few shareholders glanced toward the other two Keirs present, assuming they would already know. Others discreetly directed their questions to Secretary Yun.
Secretary Yun merely cleared his throat.
Shin lazily lifted his coffee and took a sip. To those watching him with bated breath, that single motion felt as long as an entire day.
"My engagement banquet," he finally said, voice calm and unhurried, "will be held in less than two months."
The room erupted.
Congratulations overlapped with veiled calculations. Smiles bloomed, some sincere, many strategic. Several people tried to sugarcoat their curiosity, subtly probing for the identity of the fiancée but Shin had no intention of satisfying them.
Ellis Keir's expression darkened. He was completely unaware of this engagement, and less than two months? How was it possible that the family hadn't been informed?
Sensing his father's displeasure, Hiro didn't even bother to ask. He simply shook his head slightly, signaling his own ignorance.
Despite the internal conflicts and rivalries within the Keir family, none of them wanted to lose the privilege of being labeled 'close relatives of Shin Keir.'
In a situation like this, they could only force polite smiles. Otherwise, the embarrassment of being a Keir who knew nothing about Shin's personal affairs would expose the widening gap between them all too clearly.
The meeting resumed, stiffer now, more distracted until Shin's phone rang.
He frowned as he listened, his expression shifting almost imperceptibly. Then a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. Without warning, he stood.
"That's all for today," he said flatly. And with that, he left.
The room was plunged into stunned silence.
It was practically unheard of for a meeting involving Shin Keir to end early without anyone fainting, being verbally flayed, or publicly humiliated.
Instinctively, all eyes darted toward Secretary Yun. But he was already gathering the most important documents, bowing politely before excusing himself as well.
Finally, the collective attention shifted to Master Ando.
"How did you know Shin Keir was already engaged?"
"Yes, yes, Master Ando, you must know who the fiancée is, no?"
"I heard your son is a senior in high school," someone added quickly. "If there's anything he needs, I'd be more than happy to—"
"Ah, my old friend! It's been far too long since we last took a proper break." Another shareholder eagerly chimed in, tone overly amiable. "How about a summer vacation together? Our families could enjoy the tranquil lake near our vacation house."
Master Ando was utterly dumbfounded.
How had he suddenly become the most sought-after person in the room?
He waved his hands hastily. "You've all misunderstood. I only happened to overhear it as well."
But the sharp, calculating eyes of the businessmen fixed on him, clearly unconvinced.
"Old Ando, we're all friends here. There's nothing wrong with sharing your good fortune."
"Exactly. Let me invite you to this weekend's banquet!"
Before he knew it, Master Ando was surrounded by flattery and fawning attention.
He had never expected that his son's friendship with Yeri would bring him such immediate and tangible benefits.
---
When Yeri regained consciousness, the first thing she saw was a white ceiling, blinding and oddly mocking.
With a bitter, self-deprecating thought, she assumed she had been sent back to the hospital again.
Muffled voices reached her ears.
"I'm not going to class! Why should I?" Nina's voice rang out. "And why hasn't the ambulance arrived yet?!"
"Nina, calm down," Levi said patiently. "don't wake Yz."
"How could I possibly calm down?" Nina snapped, then turned sharply to Loki. "What about you? You're not going back to class either? Do you think I didn't notice you asking around about our Yz since you transferred? I'm telling you now, don't even think about it."
Loki merely shrugged, smiling shamelessly.
The infirmary door slid open, abruptly cutting off the argument.
Shin strode in, wearing a mask.
Loki's face lit up instantly. "Yo, boss! I did good, right? I called you immediately."
Shin ignored him. He stepped closer to the bed and placed a hand against Yeri's forehead. The heat beneath his palm made his jaw tighten. Her lashes fluttered, her expression unfocused and delirious.
Nina pointed at Loki, stunned. "You- you- what did you just say?"
Levi leaned in and whispered, "You don't recognize him? That's Shin Keir."
Nina's eyes widened as she stared at Shin from head to toe, disbelief written all over her face.
Another person entered, frowning deeply.
"Why are there so many people here? Students, didn't I tell you to return to class?"
No one paid her any attention. The infirmary doctor's irritation deepened as she noticed Shin, a man clearly not a student.
"And who are you?" she demanded. "Are you Yeri's guardian?"
"Yes, teacher," Loki answered before Shin could speak.
"I'm not a teacher," she snapped.
At that moment, someone rushed in, breathing hard.
"What happened to Yeri?" Jj asked urgently. "Nina, where is she?"
Still reeling from Shin's presence, Nina mechanically pointed, not at Yeri, but at Shin.
Jj froze. Then, recognizing him, he slowly relaxed.
Already fed up, the infirmary doctor raised her voice. "I already said, Student Yeri is simply running a fever! I've given her medicine. She needs rest. All of you, return to class immediately!"
Nina and the other two remained rooted.
Shin turned calmly and said, "I'll be taking her home."
The infirmary doctor scrutinized the tall man in the suit. She couldn't explain it, but something about him made her uneasy.
She recalled her friend, the language teacher, often complaining about the so-called special class. She had mentioned Yeri Zhi, infamous for frequently falling ill.
In truth, this was the first time the infirmary doctor had personally encountered Yeri due to her schedule. But she firmly believed that the special class was nothing more than a gathering of useless students living off their families' influence.
Just look at this, no one listened to her.
Worse, Yeri Zhi seemed exceptionally adept at maneuvering situations, surrounded by good-looking men at every turn.
With thinly veiled contempt, the doctor muttered, "Fine. Sign this form if you're taking her out. Honestly, it's only a fever. She'll be fine after resting. She's a graduating student, you know. If she's so fragile, why didn't she attend a school for special needs or hire a private tutor? Especially coming from such a wealthy family…"
She kept talking, and didn't notice the temperature in the room drop.
"Ma'am," Jj said coldly, "if my sister hadn't met this school's requirements, she wouldn't be here. Her class exists for a reason."
"I told you, I'm not a teacher," the infirmary doctor snorted. "That 'special class' is just the school's excuse to keep wealthy kids contained while enjoying their families donations."
"Since you're not a teacher, you have no right to judge and generalize the entire class as bad apples."
The infirmary doctor flinched upon hearing the masked man's voice.
For some reason, a chill crawled up her spine, an inexplicable sense of being threatened settling in her chest.
"What's wrong with what I just said?" she snapped, bristling. "I'm merely stating facts. Since you're her guardian, then you should know how often Student Yeri is absent every semester! This is a school, not a hospital. How could she possibly keep up with lessons like other normal students?"
Her voice rose as she blurted out her prejudice without restraint. "If it weren't for her family's money, she'd have been expelled long ago. Am I wrong?"
"You keep saying you're not a teacher, yet you act like you know everything about this school," Nina shot back indignantly. "Lessons aren't limited to sitting in a classroom, you know."
Before the infirmary doctor could respond, Levi adjusted his glasses and added calmly, "This school isn't designed solely for students who attend daily classes. There are online lessons, flexible schedules, and personal tutoring meant for students who are frequently absent due to family business, heir training, or other legitimate reasons. You can't simply assume a student is often absent because she's up to no good. And this doesn't apply only to the special class, it applies to every student in this school."
Refuted from all sides, the infirmary doctor burned with anger.
Feeling outnumbered, she raised a trembling finger toward Levi just as footsteps sounded outside.
Through the half-open door, several teachers passed by along with the principal.
Her eyes lit up. Seizing the opportunity, she raised her voice sharply. "Just because I'm not a teacher doesn't mean you can disrespect me! Didn't I already tell the three of you to return to class? You're not needed here! And the two of you- " she glared at Shin and Jj, "as Student Yeri's guardians, how could you possibly condone this kind of behavior?!"
"What behavior?" Nina asked, genuinely confused.
Just as she intended, the commotion drew everyone's attention.
Yeri, on the other hand, remained oblivious. The overlapping voices blurred into indistinct noise as she drifted deeper into sleep.
A warm hand was holding hers, and something like tranquil water flowed through her veins, soothing and gentle.
"What is going on here?" the principal asked as he entered the infirmary.
Immediately, the infirmary doctor put on a wronged expression and hurried to present her version of events.
Unexpectedly, her friend, the language teacher was there as well.
"Principal, these are students from the special class," the language teacher chimed in. "Look how unruly they are. Last time it was me, and now they don't even show respect to our infirmary doctor. If this gets out, won't our school's reputation suffer again?"
The principal frowned. It hadn't been long since the bullying scandal, and the case was still ongoing, with the victim's family pursuing legal action.
Last time, the university dean had handled it personally only to be thoroughly grilled by the higher-ups and the education board.
Now that he had just returned from a long leave, another scandal breaking out would likely mean he'd be the one bearing the consequences.